HBO’s The Last of Us Gets No One Will Save You’s Kaitlyn Dever for a Major Role in Season 2
After months of speculation, HBO has announced who will play Abby The last of us (TLoU) season 2 – and it’s an unusual yet great choice.
In a post uploaded to Max’s X/Twitter account yesterday (January 9), it was revealed that Kaitlyn Dever had been cast in the second season of the hit show.
Kaitlyn Dever has joined the cast of the HBO Original series #TheLastofUs for season 2. @TheLastofUsHBO pic.twitter.com/dFnhGsJ1x2January 9, 2024
It was Naughty Dog – the developer behind it The last of us‘ hugely successful video game series, on which HBO’s TV adaptation is based – which confirmed who Dever would star in The last of us season 2. Via X/Twitter, the studio announced that Dever had been hired to portray Abby Anderson, the deuteragonist from The last of part IIaka the second game in the post-apocalyptic survival series that inspired the show’s second season.
We’re thrilled to have Kaitlyn Dever join Season 2 of @TheLastOfUsHBO as Abby! We can’t wait to see her journey unfold on TV. 💪https://t.co/BZRimbXww6January 9, 2024
In a joint statement via Varietyco-showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann said: “Our casting process for Season 2 is identical to Season 1: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material. Nothing is more important than talent, and we’re thrilled that an acclaimed artist as Kaitlyn joins Pedro (Pascal), Bella (Ramsey) and the rest of our family.”
Dever was last seen starring in Hulu’s sci-fi horror film No one will save youand the more drama-fueled role she played in that film certainly proved that she has the emotional intensity to embody Abby in one of the second seasons of the best Max shows.
Let’s get physical
Oddly enough, Dever was reportedly one of the favorites to play Ellie in HBO’s The last of us, before the role was ultimately won by Ramsey. It then appears that the Smart book And Last man standing star made a big impression on the show’s creative team, which may have led to her landing the role of Abby.
The hiring of the talented actor has been praised by many TLoU fans, as well as those involved with Naughty Dog’s video game franchise and/or HBO’s adaptation. However, a small minority have criticized Dever’s casting, with that contingent suggesting she lacks the physical capabilities to portray the muscular antagonist.
Since Dever is only 6 feet tall and Abby says she is about 6 feet tall, such complaints seem understandable. However, Ramsey is also on the shorter side in terms of height – Dever’s fellow actor is just over 6 feet tall, making Ramsey shorter than Ellie. The Last of Us Part II. Fans also don’t have to worry about Dever’s ability to take on Abby’s physically imposing frame, as she will certainly undergo an intense and extensive training regimen to build up for the role.
So concerned fans don’t have to read much into Dever’s ability to deliver a compelling, heartbreaking, and physically strong performance as Abby. And if you’re really worried, just remember: few fans were convinced Pascal would do as well as Joel, and look how that turned out. In short: wait The last of us season 2 launches on Max in the US, one of the world’s top streaming services – it will also be available on Sky (UK) and Binge (Australia) – before you draw your conclusions.